Thousands of thin disc-like radiation dosimeters are employed each year to detect radon gas emanating from beneath the surface of the ground to serve as an indicator of possible uranium deposits. Due to the cost involved and the substantial quantities of dosimeters employed in mapping sections of the ground in support of uranium exploration, the capability of reusing the dosimeters represents a significant cost factor.
An analysis of the present useful life of a dosimeter indicates that handling during read-out of the dosimeter can significantly affect the useful life of the dosimeter. Two factors identified as having an adverse affect on the useful life of the dosimeter include mechanical degradation due to the conventional techniques for securing the thin wafer-like dosimeter to the heating element of a dosimeter read-out apparatus and secondly, oxide contamination of the dosimeter by the metal retaining element employed in the dosimeter reading apparatus.